The horizontal line represents the person’s life.1494 - born1547 - died

Francis I.

king of France, surnamed “the Great, and
the restorer of learning,” succeeded his father-in-law
LouisXII. who died without a son in 1515. FrancisI. was
the only son of Charles duke of Orleans, constable of
AngoulSroe, and born at Cognac, September 12, 1494.
Immediately after his coronation he took the title of
cluke of Milan, and put himself at the head of a powerful
army to assert his right to that duchy. The Swiss, who
defended it, opposed his enterprize, and attacked him.
near Marignana; but they were cut to pieces in a sanguinary contest, and about 15,000 left dead on the field.
The famous Trivulce, who had been engaged in eighteen
battles, called this “The battle of the Giants,” and the
others “Children’s play.” It was on this occasion that the
king desired to be knighted by the famous Bayard. That
rank was originally the highest that could be aspired to:
princes of the blood were not called monseigneur, nor
their wives madaine, till they had been knighted; nor
might any one claim that honour, unless he could trace
his nobility at least three generations back, both on his
father’s and mother’s side, and also bore an unblemished
character, especially for military courage and valour. The
creation of a knight was attended with few ceremonies,
except at some festivals, inwhich case a great number
were observed. This institution, which may be traced up
to the first race, contributed not a little to polish the minds
of the French, by restraining them within the bounds of a
benevolent morality. They swore to spare neither life or
fortune in defence of religion, in fighting against the infidels, and in protecting the widow, the orphan, and all
who were defenceless. By this victory at Marignana,
FrancisI. became master of the Milanese, which was ceded
to him by Maximilian Sforza, who then retired into France.
PopeLeoX. alarmed by these conquests, held a conference with the king at Bologna, obtained from him the
abolition of the Pragmatic Sanction, and settled the Concordate, which was confirmed the year following in the
Latcran council. From that time the kings of France appointed to all consistorial benefices, and the pope received
| one year’s income upon every change. The treaty of
N.oyon was concluded the same year between CharlesV.
and FrancisI. one principal article or‘ which was the restoration of Navarre. CharlesV. on the death of Maximilian I. being elected emperor, 1519, in opposition to
Francis, the jealousy which subsisted between those two
princes broke out immediately, and kindled a long war,
which proved fatal to all Europe. The French, commanded by Andrew de Foix, conquered Navarre in 1520,
and lost it again almost directly; they drove the English
and Imperialists from Picardy; took Hesdin, Fontarabia,
and several other places; but lost Milan and Tournay in
1521. The following year, Odet de Foix, viscount of
Lautrec, was defeated at the bloody battle of Bicoque,
which was followed by the loss of Cremona, Genoa, and a
great part of Italy. Nor did their misfortunes end here.
The constable of Bourbon, persecuted by the duchess of
Angouleme, joined the emperor 1523, and, being appointed commander of his forces in 1524, defeated admiral
Bonevet’s rear at the retreat of Rebec, and retook all the
Milanese. He afterwards entered Provence with a powerful army, but was obliged to raise the siege of Marseilles,
and retired with loss. FrancisI. however, went into Italy,
retook Milan, and was going to besiege Pavia; but, having
imprudently detached part of his troops to send them to
Nappies, he was defeated by the constable de Bpurbon in
a bloody battle before Pavia, February 24, 1525, after,
having two horses killed under him, and displaying prodigious valour. His greatness of mind never appeared
more conspicuously than after this unfortunate engagement. In a letter to his mother he says, “Every thing is
lost but honour.” He was conducted as a prisoner to
Madrid, and returned the following year, after the treaty
which was concluded in that city, January 14, 1526. This
treaty, extorted by force, was not fulfilled; the emperor
had insisted on the duchy of Burgundy being ceded to
him but, when Lannoi went to demand it in his master’s
name, he was introduced to anaudience given to the deputies of Burgundy, who declared to the king, that he
had no power to give up any province of his kingdom.
Upon this the war re-commenced immediately. FrancisI. sent forces into Italy, under the command of Lautrec,
who rescued ClementVII. and at first gained great adVantages, but perished afterwards, with his army, by
|
sickness. The king, who had been some years a widower,
concluded the treaty of Cambray in 1529, by which he
engaged to marry Eleanor of Austria, the emperor’s sister;
and his two sons, who had been given as hostages, were
Ransomed at the king’s return for two millions in gold.
The ambition of possessing Milan, caused peace again to
be broken. Francis took Savoy in 1535, drove the emperor from Provence in 153G, entered into an alliance with
8olyman II. emperor of the Turks; took Hesdin, and seyeral other places, in 1537, and made a truce of ten years
with CharlesV. at Nice, 1538, which did not, however,
Jast long. The emperor, going to punish the people of
Ghent, who had rebelled, obtained a passage through
France, by promising Francis the investiture of the duchy
of Milan for which of his children he pleased; but. after
being received in France with the highest honours in 1539,
he was no sooner arrived in Flanders than he refused to
keep his promise. This broke the truce; the war was
renewed, and carried on with various success on both sides.
The king’s troops entered Italy, Roussillorr, and Luxemburg. Francis of Bourbon, comte d‘Enguien, won the
battle of Cerizoles in 154*, and took Montferrat. FrancisI. gained over to his side Barbarossa, and Gustavus Vasa,
Icing of Sweden; while, on the other hand, Henry VIII.
of England espoused the interests of CharlesV. and took
Bologna, ’1544. A peace was at last concluded with he
emperor at Cressy, September 18, 1544, and with Henry
VIII. June 7, 154fi; but Francis did not long enjoy the
tranquillity which this peace procured him; he died at the
castle of Rambouillet the last day of March, 1547, aged
fifty-three. This prince possessed the most shining qualities: he was witty, mild, magnanimous, generous, and
benevolent. The revival of polite literature in Europe
was chiefly owing to his care; he patronized the learned,
founded the royal college at Paris, furnished a library at
Fountainbleau at a great expence, and built several palaces,
which he ornamented with pictures, statues, and costly
furniture. When dying, he particularly requested his son
to dimiuish the taxes which he had been obliged to levy
for defraying the expences of the war; and put it in his
power to do so, for he left 400,000 crowns of gold in his
coffers, with a quarter of his revenues which was then
due. It was this sovereign who ordered all public acts to
"be written in French. Upon the whole he appears to
| have been one of the greatest ornaments of the French
throne. 1

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